When it comes to crab season in Baltimore, you have a few choices. You can get a bushel, a few cases of beer, call up a few friends, and have a crab feast in your backyard. Or if that's too much work, then you can always go out to a restaurant, cozy up to a table lined with brown paper, and whack away. Or you can go the more economical route, and bring some crabs home from a carryout joint like Bill's Seafood. For over 35 years, Bill's has been steaming crabs year round. Crabs are sourced from our local watermen, as well as from Louisiana, Texas, and North Carolina to provide steamed crabs year-round. You can carry out (either through online ordering or by stopping by on a whim), or they can cater your party. With so many choices in the area for carryout, we braved the waters, and checked Bill's Seafood out. Are they good enough for your lunch or party? Let's find out!

BlueStone is a locally owned and managed seafood restaurant in Timonium, MD. Not quite on York Rd., BlueStone is located near the fairgrounds, but off the beaten path to the point that you've probably been near it several times and never known it. They've earned Trip Advisor's Certificate of Excellence for 2014, and a nod from Baltimore Magazine's Best Crab Cakes of 2009. We guess you could consider them a "hidden gem", if you will. But the real question is: how have BlueStone's crab cakes come since 2009? Read on and find out!

Named one of Baltimore's Top 25 Crab Cakes by Baltimore Magazine in 2013! Located just two doors down from the famous Benji's Drive-In, By The Docks has been kicking out fine steaks and seafood since around 2005. Once co-owned by the same owner of Timbuktu, By The Docks is under new management, but still maintaing buzz surrounding their crab cake reputation. Will you get served similar crab cakes to Timbuktu, or will they be in a class of their own? Follow along as we find out!

Conrad's started out back in 2003 as a seafood market on Joppa Rd. Since then, they have opened a seasonal location in Phoenix, a stand at Ripkin Stadium in Aberdeen, and their newest location, which is a full fledged bar and restaurant in Perry Hall (taking over the old Surf City location). Conrad's prides themselves on participating in the True Blue program, which is a voluntary labeling effort that lets you know the source of your crabs. Using local Maryland crabmeat is definitely the first ingredient in a quality crab cake, but you still have to bind and season it. Does Conrad's tread the crab properly? Follow along and find out!

Open since 1971 and Zagat rated since 1999, Costa's Inn is certainly a Baltimore institution. For over 40 years, the Costas family has been serving up some of Baltimore's finest seafood and pit beef. But don't take our word for it. Check out all of the awards they've won as you walk into the restaurant. Year after year, Costa's has been voted the best of something, whether it's for their seafood, crab cakes, or pit beef. So do the crab cakes live up to the hype and legendary status after all these years? Follow along and find out!